She's the Key

Chapter One: The Coven

“We have to tell them.”

“But what? We can’t just throw it out there.”

“Exactly, we have got to be gentle, in a whatever way possible. They are only children. And they know nothing.”

“How are we going to tell them all that is true? Will they even believe us?”

Six adults sat around a large oval shaped table in a room with wooden walls. There were bookshelves that went from floor to ceiling, jam-packed with books of all sizes. The floor was wood as well but under the table was an ornate rug. It was spun with gold silk that sparkled brightly against the firelight that lit the room. The people sitting at the table were beautiful, and some two even looked exactly alike.

“So, what are we going to do then?” Dargof asked, looking to Ellesora. Dargof was a very muscular man with unblemished, tan skin and golden blonde hair. His eyes were a piercing green. Across his face was war paint, except it was not painted. It was as if his skin had naturally turned that color. Or that he was born with it.

The woman he spoke to was elegant, her hair was long, dark chestnut, shiny, and as straight as a board. Her face was slender and poised, but she had kind eyes. She was not a mean woman but when she was serious, she definitely meant business.

“We are going to tell them. Over breakfast. There is no what, there is only how.” Ellesora responded. Her hands laid in front of her on the table, overlapping each other. She sat up very straight, one could assume she was the leader of these people.

“Ok, then how?” Another woman asked. “They are just children, who know nothing of our world even though they have lived in it their entire lives. Caz and Ellesmere should’ve raised them the way we were raised. This isn’t fair to the children.” This woman had white hair, but she was not old. She was mature though. Her eyes were a deep blue and her skin almost sparkled. It was white with hints of blue and purple flowing through it. She was perfection.

“Come now, Asena. We mustn’t speak ill of the dead.” Ellesora said shaking her head at the comment. “All us here agree the twins should’ve been raised as we did but they are not ours. Until now. Now it is up to us to tell them, train them, and protect them.”

As she finished her sentence a man in a black suit with cream-colored accents walked into the large room. He stood tall and proper, with one arm bent at the elbow in front of his abdomen. A white, silky, hand towel was draped over his arm.

“Ma’am, it is nearing breakfast.” He said in a very monotone voice. He did not look to anyone in particular, but Ellesora responded to him.

“Yes, thank you Ballist. Have the cooks start on breakfast and set the hall. Margorie may wake the children right before breakfast is served.” As she spoke, she stood. She flattening her dress and walked over to the fireplace which had glowing hot coals in the grate. “Now is as good a time as any. Dargof and I will tell them. Everyone else can simply enjoy breakfast. Be there for support if need be.” She did not look back at anyone, but they all nodded in unison.

“What are we supposed to start off with? I mean, we can’t just blurt out that their parents are missing, or worse.” This woman who posed this question had not spoken before. She had fair skin, no blemishes or scars, and perfect rose-colored lips. Her hair was the deepest black a man could imagine and her eyes, a deep purple. She had long nails that were pointed at the tips, almost like claws. Her voice was smooth and seductive. She didn’t look away from her goblet as she spoke to the others in the room.

“What else are we going to do Goredona? Beat around the bush until they realize their parents have not been in the manor for days? Besides, if Mais has taken them, then we need to prepare.” Ellesora barked, whipping around to stare at Goredona.

“Prepare for what exactly? These girls are nothing more than that. Girls. They do not scare me nor anyone else!” Goredona shouted raising from her seat. She slammed her palms on the table and shook everyone’s glass.

The room went silent while the two had their standoff. The tension was thick as Ellesora and Goredona stared at each other. The others knew nothing would come of this stare down, but to an outsider, this was a frightening sight.

Ellesora glared at Goredona. It seemed almost as if Ellesora grew in size and started to tower over Goredona.

“You should be terrified. If these girls can manage to leave their coven and start their own. Then take out the two strongest witches in the world, then yes, you should be scared. I highly suggest you take a step back and look at what is coming. It is big, it is threatening, and it will come at us with a wall of hell behind it.”

Goredona took a step back, chest puffed and her jaw flexing. She said nothing as she took her seat and waited for Ellesora to continue.

Ellesora nodded once and then she clapped her hands together.

“Well then, shall we do this?” She dropped her hands down onto her thighs and walked toward the double doors on the other side of the room. She grabbed onto the handles to each door and flung them open.

“Margorie!” Ellesora bellowed out into the hallway.

A few seconds later a short and chubby woman came speed walking into the hallway.

“Yes, Ms. Ellesora?” She asked as she held her hands together in front of her. She had a very high-pitched voice, but it was more so like a bird’s chirp than a screech. Most people found it very happy sounding.

“Please wake the children and have them attend breakfast,” Ellesora asked with a stern but polite tone. Behind her, all the adults sitting at the table started to scoot their chairs out.  Some stretched. Others dusted themselves off. Then they all headed out through the double doors Ellesora was standing at.

“We will see you at breakfast then?” A man with a grisly beard and long dark brown hair that was braided and tied off said. He was tall and burly, very heavy set but in a muscular way.

“Yes, Raeghan. We will all see each other at breakfast.” She nodded and smiled at him, touching his arm as he passed. Even though she seemed like a tough, sensible woman, she definitely had a soft spot for Raeghan. But being as she was an elder she felt it necessary to not indulge in such things as relationships. She knew her love would overpower her common sense and in this time, she could not have that happen.

Everyone gathered in a very large and extravagant dining hall. An abnormally large table sat in the middle of the room, atop an even larger rug. There were two chairs that looked more like thrones at either end of the table. Everything was made of a very beautiful dark red wood. On either side of the table, between each end chair were 12 seemingly less ornate chairs.

After a few moments of dishes clanking, breakfast was placed on the table. Then two teenagers busted into the hall. They were laughing and making a lot of noise as they stumbled over each other while racing to take their sets.

As they wrestled their way to their seats, Ellesora stood and crossed her arms.

“Ehem.” She cleared her throat and waited for the children to react. Quickly they both stopped and scrambled to their feet. Major had a slight smirk as he eyed his sister, Vela, out of the corner of his eye.

“We're sorry Aunty,” Vela said. She placed the tip of her toes behind her other foot. She crossed her hands behind her back and looked as innocently as possible at Ellesora. “We were just testing how much I have learned in our physical classes.”

It was very difficult for anyone to stay mad at Vela. She was beautiful but lethal. One look into her eyes and most people forgot the world around them. She had long, wavy, blonde hair. Which was braided in three rows on the left side. The rest laid over to the right and flowed down her neck and shoulders. Her skin was pale, and she had rosy cheeks. Her lips were luscious and a dark nude color. Her eyes were deep blue with flecks of purple and white. Some say she was born with the stars in her eyes.

Her brother Major, he was just as gorgeous but in a manly way. He had long hair, but the sides were trimmed short. Instead of having blonde hair like his sister he had dark brown hair, it was almost black. His jaw line was strong. He could give any female his crooked smile and they would pass out from how fast their heart started to beat. He was handsome but rough.

Both twins were tall and of the athletic build. Vela was light on her feet and could hide in small places. Most of the time people barely heard her walk right up next to them. Major was more of a hands-on guy, but with his gang of boys, he never had to be.

“If you two don’t mind, it is time for breakfast. We need to talk.” Ellesora said taking her seat. She didn’t look at the twins, she simply stared at the empty plate in front of her.

The twins took their seats next to each other on Ellesora’s left-hand side. They looked around the table, nodding and smiling at the others who joined them. They looked the whole length of the table and then around the entire room.

“Thought mom and dad were supposed to be back today? They said they would be at breakfast, no later.” Major asked, with a confused looked on his face. His sister nodded and looked around at all the blank faces.

“That is what we need to talk about.” Their aunt replied. Her voice cracked slightly, and she took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. She closed her eyes and then looked directly at the twins.

“Your parents have gone missing. They have either perished or have been kidnapped. We are not sure yet.”

Major scoffed and Vela lifted one eyebrow.

“It hasn’t even been a day. How on earth could you know that?” Major reciprocated with a bit of laughter in his tone. He reached across the table and grabbed the bowl of eggs. He dumped some on his plate and then some onto his sisters. Vela nodded in agreement as she poured her and her brother some juice.

These two did everything together. They shared in every job, excluding the job Major had for Plague disposal. That was not a lady’s job. Vela disagreed but even if Major said yes, Kaides wouldn’t allow it. Kaides is Majors best friend and Vela’s choice for eye candy.

“That wasn’t a question we discussed. The answer is not meant for talking about over breakfast!” Dargof shouted as he slammed his fist on the table.

Vela and Major were very confused. They stopped eating and looked at all the faces around the table. The expressions were confused, scared, and worried. There was also a mixture of something else that could not be pinpointed.

“There’s a lot to explain but now is not the time. For now, your parents are not coming home. We are not sure if they ever will.” Ellesora said with pain and guilt flooding her face.

Vela’s face turned deep red and she stood, pushing her chair out from under her. The chair tipped backward and crashed to the floor. And just like that, she was gone. No warning, no noise, nothing.

Major slowly closed his eyes and shook his head, but he did not leave the table.

“Tell me everything that can be said at the breakfast table.” He said, his voice deep and rough.

“Your parents are missing, or possibly dead. We hope not the latter. Currently, you and Vela are next in line to take over the Twinning Tables. And a few other things, but we will get to those later when your sister is around.” Ellesora said as a few others around the table nodded in unison, though they said nothing.

“Oh, she’s around. You just don’t see her.” Major said. He twisted his fork between his fingers as he pondered what to say next. “Why is it that us teenagers need to take over the hall? Can’t you, do it? Or Raeghan, even Bearsoul?”

“It doesn’t work like that. Your parents didn’t sign us as the caregivers when they passed, only you two. Nothing can change that unless you sell the hall.” This last sentence caused a thick layer of tension to settle in the room.

The Twinning Tables was the biggest and most successful gambling club in Rausengaurf. It was right near the docks, so all newcomers passed right by it. The lights, sounds, and smells brought everyone inside. To top it off, The Twinning Tables has the highest winning rate to date.

Major shook his head and waved his arms. “No, I would never sell the gambling hall. My parents would kill me. But that’s it? That’s it? Hey, your parents are missing, take over the gambling hall, good luck? We are still in school. We’re not even of age. I have a job.” Major was beside himself with what he was hearing.

“We’re not going to drop you in there and be like have at it!” Goredona scoffed at him. “Are you mad?”

“Oh, calm down you two!” Ellesora shouted. “You and your sister will be taught everything you need to know. But it will be fast-paced. You two will need to pick it up quick. Your job is no problem, everything can be taken care of during school hours and in the evenings. Should we need something we know where to find you.”

Ellesora then went silent and filled her plate with food. It was very clear that she no longer wanted to talk about this on an empty stomach. A few others did the same.

The twins attended a private school. Everyone in their school knew each other and all the parents were very close. In fact, everyone acted as one big family.

Major looked around the table, but no one looked back. He laughed to himself, shook his head and rose from his chair.

“Excuse me, I’m going to go find my sister and talk this over with her.” He started to walk away and then stopped and without turning around he spoke to the whole room. “Come find us when you’re done and have more things figured out. You seem to know all, so you should be able to know exactly where to find us.” Major walked off, out the double doors, turned to his right and headed down the hall. The whole way he grumbled to himself.

The adults sat silent for a moment. They all knew this situation was hard. Major had a temper and Vela didn’t care to listen when it was something she did not want to hear. Handling those two was a war in itself.

“Well, that went well,” Bearsoul said. He was a tall, muscular man. Clean shaven, with jet black hair, and deep brown eyes. His smile sparkled, and he was definitely a lady’s man.

Asena, who was sitting next to him smacked him in the back of the head and glared. She looked very fragile and much smaller than her brother. But she knew how to put her brother in his place.

Just about everyone in these families was twins. A lot of them being opposite gender twins. Some looked identical, some looked completely opposite. But every set of twins balanced each other out, in one way or another.

“It’s ok Asena, he has a point,” Dargof said, as he tried to hold back his laughter. Dargof was Major and Vela’s uncle. Their father was his brother.

This was one of the sets of twins that looked nothing alike. Dargof had dark brown hair, a huskier build, and bright green eyes. Whereas, Cazelle, had shiny blonde hair like Vela. Brown eyes like Major, a more athletic build, and of average height.

It always struck everyone as odd to see twins apart for longer than a day. The twins would eventually sulk and become lifeless without the other. Something no one liked to witness. Already Dargof was not quite himself. After all, he was able to hold back a laugh.

Ellesora is Major and Vela’s aunt but on their mother, Ellesmere’s, side. Major got his dark hair from his mother. But Vela got the blue in her eyes from her mother and her hair from their father. Ellesmere was considered the goddess of all. There was nothing that she wasn’t good at. She was a sweet and caring person, but she was also fearsome and would do anything for her family. She was tall and slender, with long brown hair. Her skin was soft and colored like a peach.

“We need to go over what we are going to tell them, and in what order,” Ellesora said after finishing her plate. At that time, a man in a butler’s suit took her plate and walked away with it. A few other butler’s and maids did the same with the other dishes on the table.

“We should start with Mais and Hais’ story. That is the only thing that makes sense. Vela will be devastated but the entire truth must come out and it must come out in the right order.” Ellesora said looking around the table to see a few people nodding. Some questioning the option, and then Goredona. She was furious.

“So instead of starting with hey our family is what is known as a coven. The reason there are so many twins is because of this. No, you want to start with, your parents were kidnapped because Vela blinded a woman. So, her and her twin left the coven because we refused to kill her for harming a member? Yes, that sounds like the right choice.” Goredona was as sarcastic and as angry as one could be.

Ever since the blinding incident, she had become very protective of Vela. Vela was only a baby, she had no idea what she was doing. Goredona knew that if Vela found out she hurt someone, a family member, like that, it would devastate her.

“Well then what do you suggest?” Ellesora snapped back. “She needs to know. They both need to know. If there is any hope that Caz and Elle are alive, then telling Vela the truth is our only hope.” Ellesora’s eyes were pleading with Goredona.

Everyone knew this was a hard task, but it had to happen. Caz and Elle may have kept everything from the twins up until now. It was now up to everyone else to make sure the twins could take over. And that meant a lot of work, training, tears, and the truth.